2010 Force de la Nature Cabernet Franc

Mocha, espresso, grilled herbs and sweet spices all take shape in the 2010 Cabernet Franc Force de La Nature. A wine with significant textural depth, the Cabernet France impresses for its intensity and pure personality. The 2010 is endowed with serious structure, but it doesn’t have the pure silkiness and early accessibility of the best wines in this vintage. It will be interesting to see if the 2010 tannins soften with further time in the bottle. Anticipated maturity: 2021-2031. Luc and Jodie Morlet’s 2010s are off the charts. The 2010s have huge structure, but the fruit is so ripe and voluptuous in these wines that the perception of tannin is often imperceptible. The 2009s, on the other hand, are made from grapes that weren’t as physiologically ripe, so the tannins remain firm and in need of time in bottle to soften. As good as the Morlet range is, the most exciting wine appears to be the Morlet Estate, from a vineyard in St. Helena the Morlets purchased a few years ago. Tel. (707) 967-8690; www.morletwines.com

The 2010 Force de la Nature, here in its first vintage, is 100% Cabernet Franc from Andy Beckstoffer's famed To Kalon vineyard in Oakville. The 2010 is an intriguing wine laced with mocha, spices grilled herbs and dark raspberry jam. It possesses stunning depth and richness, with endless layers of fruit that wrap around the powerful, imposing finish. This is a dense wine with massive structure and tons of fruit, although today it is the tannins that have the upper hand. The 2010 will be interesting to see where this goes over the next few years. Morlet dedicated the wine to his great-grandfather, who was knows as a ‘force de la nature' back in his native Champagne.